


That Time Gotham Blew Up

by AlmondRose



Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: ??????, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Crack sort of, Gen, honestly i have no idea what the heck this is, how in the nine hells did this get so long?, huh, some rocks and roy and bruce, some.......au......where the joker blows up gotham i guess, someone gets flipped off three times in this story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-16
Updated: 2016-12-16
Packaged: 2018-09-09 00:48:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,298
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8869321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlmondRose/pseuds/AlmondRose
Summary: Gotham blew up. Steph and a ragtag group of survivors go to Smallville to recuperate. You know how it is.





	

Ash fills the air, smoke pouring out of buildings and rubble. Someone shifts a pile of bricks from inside the pile, and a hand claws its way out of the rough stones. A second hand joins the first, and Stephanie Brown drags herself out, her costume torn beyond recognition. She kicks a brick irritably and looks around, wiping blood off her face. 

 

There’s nobody around, not a single soul. A siren wails in the distance, and Steph curses. 

 

She walks away from the rubble, examining the broken city and the torn buildings and she flips off a plant emerging from the skeleton of a building when she passes. 

 

There’s a faint sobbing from somewhere; Steph follows the sound. She casts aside various building parts until she finds, under the shelter of a few support beams, a familiar blonde girl, curled over herself. 

 

“Claire?” Steph asks, and the other girl turns abruptly. 

 

“S-steph?” she asks, her face stained with tears. “M-my leg is broken.”

 

“Oh my god,” Steph says. She walks around and sees that Claire’s leg is sticking out at an odd angle. “Did you use your powers?”

 

Claire shakes her head. Steph knows she’s almost out of time. That’s probably why her leg was able to break at all, her powers fluctuating. 

 

“A-and you?” Claire asks. “Are you hurt?” Steph assesses herself. She has a gash on her cheek and her head is spinning and her wrist is probably sprained. 

 

“Concussion, I think,” she says. “Sprained wrist. I’m okay, though.”

 

“That’s good,” Claire says, closing her eyes and sighing. Her tears have slowed, and Steph walks over to a wooden board on the ground and picks it up, inspecting it. 

 

“Have you seen any of the others?” Steph asks. 

 

“No,” Claire says. “Just you.” 

 

“Communications are down,” Steph says, pushing back her worry for Cass, Harper, Tim, and Damian. Well, she’s worried about the others, just--less.

 

“I know,” Claire says. “What are you doing?”

 

“Making you a crutch,” Steph says, offering her hand. Claire takes it, and Steph pulls her up, then hands her the crutches she’s made. Claire tries them, and winces. 

 

“It was the best I could do,” Steph says. 

 

“No, I’m fine,” Claire says. “At least I can move now.”

 

“Yeah,” Steph says. “Let’s look for the others.” 

 

She hopes Alfred, up in Wayne Manor, is okay. She hopes the explosion didn’t kill anyone, although she knows it’s unlikely. The girls head towards a fire, supposing that that would be the best place to start. 

 

Loud cursing is coming from the side of the building, and Steph follows the sound, curious. There’s a girl with white hair kicking at some rubble, and a boy with crossed arms looks entirely unamused. 

 

“I can’t believe,” the girl rages. “That the  _ one time  _ I go into Gotham proper, there’s a whole explosion and the whole city breaks!” 

 

“You’ve been to Gotham before,” the boy says. “And the city didn’t explode.”

 

“With my luck, it’s a miracle it didn’t,” the girl mutters. 

 

“To be fair, you  _ did  _ set that building on fire,” the boy points out. “So you aided in the city’s destruction.”

 

“Um, hi,” Steph says. The two kids--for they can’t be much older than Damian--whirl to face her. Both seem unharmed, although covered in dust. Actually, the boy has burns on his arm, and the girl is favoring her right leg. 

 

“I am  _ not  _ an arson,” the girl says quickly. And Steph can’t help but laugh. 

 

“I didn’t think you were,” she says. “Olive Silverlock, right?” Claire casts Steph a surprised look and the kids look surprised. 

 

“How…did Batman tell you about me?” Olive asks, putting her hands on her hips. Steph laughs.

 

“I’m Cluemaster’s daughter.” Olive’s eyes widen and she mouths  _ Oh.  _

 

Claire looks confused, and Steph whispers, “Tell you later.” Louder she says, “This is Claire.”

 

“Colton,” the other boy offers. 

 

“Have you seen anyone else?” Olive asks. “Our friends and us got separated.”

 

“No,” Steph admits. “Have you seen any other heroes?”

 

Olive and Colton shake their heads. 

 

“Want to look together?” Claire asks. Olive and Colton exchange a look. 

 

“I guess,” Olive says. 

 

“But as soon as we find our friends, we’re outta here,” Colton says. 

 

“Okay,” Steph says. “Let’s go.” They move slowly, Claire on her crutches and Olive limping and leaning on Colton. From what Bruce has said about Olive, Steph knows that she wouldn’t appreciate help from her, so she lets them be. Her utility belt is completely gone, otherwise she might have been able to help with Colton’s burns or set Claire’s leg or maybe insist on a closer look at whatever’s wrong with Olive. 

 

“So do you kids go to Gotham Academy?” Claire asks. Steph knows Olive does, but she doesn’t say that. 

 

“Yes,” Olive says, panting slightly. 

 

“Do you know...what was her name….Maps? I think?” Steph asks, remembering Damian’s encounter of his brief spell at GA. 

 

“She’s my best friend, why?” Olive says. Steph laughs. 

 

“I’m a family friend of the Waynes,” she says, and Olive snorts while Colton chuckles. 

 

“Damian’s a handful, huh?” Colton says. 

 

“I’m aware,” Steph and Claire say at the same time. They laugh and keep walking.

 

They don’t make much time, picking over the rubble and injured. Steph feels like she’s about to pass out, her head is throbbing so much, and Olive is hissing in pain whenever she walks. 

 

They pass through another ruined building, and Claire’s crutches knock loose some stones, which fall down the pile they’re moving over, and Steph hears a groan of pain and a curse. 

 

“Someone’s here,” she says. 

 

“You are the only one here with functioning legs,” Colton says, and Steph wonders if his legs got burnt, too. 

 

“I’ll be right back,” she promises, and she looks over the side and swallows, feeling a little like she’s gonna throw up, even though the distance isn’t that far. She takes a deep breath and runs down, the rocks grating together on her headache. 

 

“Hello?” she calls and she hears an answering, “About damn time! POLICE! This man’s kidnapped me!”

 

“Shut the hell up,” the man responds, and Steph recognizes both voices. 

 

“What the actual,” she says, coming over a pile to see Harley Quinn, tied up, and Roy Harper, sitting on top of her, bruised and bloody. 

 

“Spoiler! Oh thank god,” Harley shrieks. “Get this insane man off of me!”

 

“What did I just say,” Roy asks, groaning. He grinds his teeth and turns to face Steph. “Where is everyone? I sent a distress signal.”

 

“I have Gotham Girl and some kids up there,” Steph says. “Other than that we haven’t seen anyone. How are you, medically?” 

 

“Dislocated shoulder,” Roy says. “I think I fixed it. I’ve got a few broken ribs.”

 

“I have a sprained ankle and I fractured my collarbone and I broke three fingers and I have a concussion, if anyone’s interested,” Harley grumbles. 

 

“Not really,”  Steph says. “Can you walk? I think the comms are down.” Roy stands up, wobbly but sure-footed.

 

“What do we do with her?” he asks, kicking Harley’s side. She yelps. Steph balks a little. She’s not sure how she’s in charge, here. Roy definitely has more experience than her and is definitely held in higher regard in the hero community than she is, former addict and killer or no. She clenches her fists and remembers that she used to be Robin and there’s no reason she shouldn’t be a leader. 

 

“Take her with us,” she decides. “We can’t leave her here.”

 

“Okay,” Roy says. “I’m gonna need help lifting her.” Steph moves to help him and they pull Harley up while she tells them to watch her broken fingers. Steph unties her and before Harley can do much more than sigh in relief, Steph uses the rope to tie her hands together, using a special knot Batman taught her. 

 

“Boo,” Harley tells her. 

 

“Let’s go,” Steph says, and the three go back up the rocks to where Claire, Olive, and Colton wait. 

 

“That’s Harley Quinn,” Olive observes. 

 

“Wasn’t the Joker the one who blew up Gotham?” Claire asks, her eyes narrow. 

 

“I swear I didn’t know,” Harley says. “I was in Arkham until last night when Mistah J broke us all out.”

 

“What,” Colton says. 

 

“The Joker broke everyone out of Arkham last night to distract us,” Roy explains. 

 

“ _ Everyone?”  _ Colton asks. When Steph and Roy nod, he whistles. “Nice lockpicking skills.”

 

“ _ So _ not the time,” Olive says, rolling her eyes and elbowing him. 

 

“Is the Joker dead?” Roy asks, and Steph knows that she and Roy both hope it’s true. Claire closes her eyes and---

 

“Stop,” Steph says, grabbing her hands. “Don’t use your powers for this.” 

 

“S-sorry,” Claire says, opening her eyes again. 

 

“Why can't she use her powers?” Colton asks. His face lights up. “Is there  _ explosions?”  _

 

“Nobody wants more explosions,” Olive says. “I’ve had enough explosions for a while.”

 

“I die if I use my powers too much,” Claire says, her voice quiet. Olive looked horrified and Harley let out a loud gasp. 

 

“That’s terrible!” she cries. 

 

“I’ve been managing,” Claire says, and something in the distance falls over and Steph sees a streak of blue in the sky. 

 

“Is that--” she’s cut off before she can finish by the big man himself arriving, hovering in front of them.

 

“Are you okay?” Superman asks, concerned. 

 

“I mean--we’re injured,” Steph says. “And we haven’t seen anyone else, civilian or otherwise.” 

 

“Supes! Big blue! Is Puddin’ still alive?” Harley asks, launching herself against Steph. Steph stumbles and Roy stabilizes her. 

 

“Is that really the problem here?” Superman asks. 

 

“And if he is, he won’t be for long,” Roy adds. “Batman won’t be able to stop Hood after this.”

 

“I know,” Harley says, sagging slightly. Steph throws her off. “What about Pam?”

 

“Ivy?” Clark asks. He pauses. “I think so.”

 

“HOORAY!” Harley yells. 

 

“Now,” Clark says, all business. “Batman set up a contingency plan in case this ever happened.”

 

“Gotham blowing up?” Olive asks as Steph mutters, “Of course he did.” 

 

“He wants me to get his family to safety as the League cleans up and helps the civilians,” he explains and Steph sees a three red streaks rush by and winged people fly overhead and she hears Martian Manhunter’s voice in the distance. 

 

“What safety?” Claire asks and Olive says, “What about us?” 

 

“I’m taking all of you,” Clark says. 

 

“Even me?” Harley asks, clearly surprised. 

 

“Yes,” Clark says. “You need to recuperate from your injuries in peace where you won’t be hurt or bombarded by people asking questions.” Steph and Roy exchange a look. She thinks she knows where this going, and she’s not sure she likes the idea. 

 

“We should be getting back to GA, though,” Olive says. “Not going with you to….wherever.”

 

“You’ll be safe there, though,” Clark says. “Trust me.” Olive makes a face. “Are we good?”

 

“I’m actually freaking out a little,” Harley says. Clark ignores her. 

 

“I’m going to pick you up,” he says. 

 

“All of us?” Colton asks skeptically. 

 

“No,” Clark says, and he presses his hand to his ear. “Wonder Woman?”

 

Colton and Harley squeak. Steph rolls her eyes, smiling. Diana emerges from the haze surrounding Gotham. 

 

“There are no sign of the others,” she says. 

 

“We’ll find them,” Clark says, confidently. “Let’s go.” He picks up Claire, bridal style, and Diana grabs Harley and Olive, holding them close. Steph wraps her arms around Diana’s neck and she lifts off; Clark is somehow wide enough to carry both Colton and Roy on his back. 

 

They fly slower than Steph knows they can, but they fly. When the cities turn to green fields and the fields turn to flat, golden land, she knows where they are. 

 

Clark and Diana land in Smallville, behind a barnhouse. As soon as Diana lets the girls down, she’s off, vanishing into the blue sky. 

 

“Where are we?” Harley asks. 

 

“The home of some old friends,” Clark says. “Let me get them; Spoiler or Arsenal, untie Harley.” He walks away, his cape flowing behind him dramatically. Olive snorts and covers her mouth, falling backwards from her seat in the grass to lay on her back and laugh. 

 

“I just saw  _ Wonder Woman,”  _ she says. “And I’m with three superheros on a  _ farm  _ and there’s another member of Gotham Criminal Children Anonymous here.” Steph can’t help but break into a grin as well. Colton and Harley fall into peals of laughter and Roy glares at them. 

 

Superman comes back out with an old couple in tow; Steph’s never met them but she knows who they are. 

 

“This is Jonathan and Martha Kent,” he says. “Spoiler, what’s the injury count?”

 

Steph ticks off all the injuries and Martha Kent pulls out a first aid kit. Steph’s impressed, she hadn’t thought the mother of Superman would need a first aid kid. But she patches the minor injuries, and she checks Roy’s shoulder, which was fine, and Steph instructs her how to set the broken bones in Claire’s leg and Harley’s fingers. 

 

(Having a nurse for a mom definitely has it’s perks.) 

 

“I’m going to go search the wreckage for the others,” Clark says. “If I find anyone, I’ll bring them back here.” He flies away and Martha says, “Y’all need your rest, especially Harley and Roy. You need to heal those bones.” She leads them inside the farmhouse and lets Harley take her bed and Roy take Clark’s. Claire and Olive are set up in the guest room, and Colton and Steph slump down in the family room, where there’s a couch and an air mattress set up by Jonathan. 

 

“When we actually sleep, Colton will have to share a bed with Roy, I suppose,” Jonathan says, looking the air mattress. “So Harley can sleep down here.”

 

“You okay with that?” Martha asks Steph, who nods quickly. She can handle an injured Harley Quinn, who she’s pretty sure is probably in shock and isn’t gonna do anything in an unfamiliar place. 

 

For the rest of the afternoon they rest; Steph doesn’t sleep but she looks around at Clark Kent’s school pictures on the walls and she wishes she has her phone so she can show these to Bruce or Dick. 

 

(Then again, Bruce’s probably already seen them.) 

 

Around four hours after they arrive, when Colton’s passed out on the couch and a sleepy calm has fallen over the house, there’s a thump on the porch. Steph goes to open it and realizes she’s still in her Spoiler costume. She winces but opens the door anyway. 

 

“Found one,” Clark says, smiling crookedly. 

 

“Thank god,” Steph says when she sees that Clark’s supporting Alfred. She helps. “Have you seen the others?”

 

“No,” Clark says. “We’re still looking. Let me go tell Ma, then I have to go back.”

 

“Of course,” Alfred says. “Thank you very much for bringing me here, Mister Kent.” Clark nods and speeds off. 

 

“Are you okay?” Steph asks. 

 

“My legs are rather shaky,” Alfred says. “And I have a few scratches but I’m quite alright.” 

 

“I can patch you up,” Steph says, leading him inside. 

 

“I have no doubt,” Alfred says, and he smiles at her. “I am glad to see you alive and well, Miss Stephanie.”

 

“Same,” Steph says, and she helps him sit in a chair across from the couch. “That’s Colton. He’s a civilian.”

 

“Who else is here? Mister Kent was rather unspecific.” 

 

“Claire and Roy, Olive (one of Colton’s friends), and Harley.”

 

“Quinn?” Alfred asks, raising an eyebrow. Steph nods. 

 

“Ah,” Alfred says, and they stand in silence for a moment before Steph goes to get the first aid kit. 

 

Martha comes back in and greets Alfred and explains that she’s going to head into town to get some clothes for the newcomers. She insists that Steph stay behind, but Alfred manages to convince her to allow him to come. He winks at Steph and they leave again. 

 

Steph doesn’t mean to, but she falls asleep. 

 

When she wakes up, she can hear voices chattering and food cooking. Going into the kitchen lets her see Olive and Roy, both in flannel shirts, sitting at the table while Martha sets it and Alfred cooks. Steph goes to help, but Martha shooes her off. 

 

“Go change,” she instructs. “Alfred put your clothes next to your bed.” Steph goes back and changes into a purple (thanks, Alfred!) shirt and pants that are her exact size (thanks Alfred!) and goes back into the kitchen. 

 

“Where do I put my costume?” she asks, and Alfred takes it and hands her something in return. She grins and puts the domino mask on. “Do you just keep these in your suits?”

 

“Yes,” Alfred says simply. “As does Master B.” 

 

“He won’t tell me who Batman is,” Olive moans, flopping on the table. “Just that he works for him.”

 

“It  _ is  _ a secret,” Steph says. “And we can’t let Harley hear.”

 

“She’s sleeping,” Olive says, her voice muffled by the table. “Do  _ you  _ know?”

 

“Um,” Steph says. 

 

“That’s a yes I hate Batman,” Olive groans. Roy pats her white hair. Steph muffles a smile and helps Martha set the table. 

  
  


Over the next few days, she falls into a routine. Alfred won’t let her do anything too strenuous, but she helps with the chickens and the cows and hangs out in the barn. Roy and Harley are on bedrest, and Alfred looks after them. 

 

Olive hobbles around and helps Steph where she can, and Jonathan has a time running after Colton to try and make sure he doesn’t explode too many things. 

 

Martha has a spare pair of crutches and she loans them to Claire, who quickly becomes adept at using them and is as mobile as Steph or Colton. 

 

Clark, Barry, Wally, Diana, or Wally drop by once a day to give news, which is always the same: nothing has changed. They’re finding civilians, and taking them to hospitals, but they haven’t found any of the other Bats nor Maps, Pommeline, or Kyle, Olive and Colton’s friends. 

 

One day, after Wally says, “I mean--maybe they’ve left Gotham. But where would they go?” Alfred looks at Steph and winks and Steph’s heart leaps into her throat. 

 

“Have ya found Pam or Puddin yet?” Harley demands, throwing a pillow at Wally. He holds up his hands. 

 

“Not yet,” he says. “But Penguin and Two-Face were discovered earlier today, alive but injured.”

 

“I don’t care about Ozzy or Dent!” Harley shrieks. “Those assholes deserve what’s coming to them!”

 

“Is that a threat?” Claire asks. 

 

“No,” Harley grumbles, crossing her arms and wincing. 

 

After Wally leaves, Steph rounds on Alfred. 

 

“You know where they are?” she asks, her voice tinged with hysteria. 

 

“No,” he says. “But I know where they might be.”

 

“Why haven’t you said?” 

 

“You are still injured, and Master B and the others can care for themselves.”

 

“I’m fine!” Steph says. Alfred gives her a  _ look  _ and she backs off, grumbling. 

  
  


She’s in the barn, slumped against Penny the cow when it happens. Her comm (which she’s kept in her ears, just in case) chirps, and Steph straightens up, pressing her hand to her ear. 

 

“Hello?” she says. “Batman?”

 

“--looking--” a voice says, through static. “--space--Spoiler--al Ghul--red--wing---Orphan---” Static fills Steph’s ears and she adjusts the frequency frantically. 

 

“Orphan?” she asks. “Cass, come in! It’s me, Spoiler! We have Penny-One and Gotham Girl! Can you hear me?” The static screeches and then goes out. “Cass!” Steph yells, and nothing happens. 

 

She runs back to the barn to let the others know. 

  
  


Steph gives her comm to Roy so he can try and make it work again. 

  
  


Martha takes her and Olive to a farmer’s market, and they’re there to buy, not sell, so Steph’s allowed to wander. She doesn’t have any money, but she looks at some of the homemade, crafty-type stuff anyway. 

 

She’s inspecting a dress that one woman sewed. 

 

“Nice sewing,” she says. 

 

“Do you sew?” the woman asks. Steph shrugs, the corner of her mouth tilting up. 

 

“Sometimes,” she says, and she remembers the first Spoiler costume and her first Robin costume. 

 

“I could give you lessons, if you want,” the woman says. 

 

“Thanks, but I’m just visiting,” Steph says, pushing her sunglasses higher up her nose. 

 

(she’s traded the mask she’s been wearing out for a pair of sunglasses; she feels like a secret agent.)

 

She excuses herself and finds a booth where someone’s selling some jams and syrups they’ve made--and they have samples. 

 

She’s trying the apple butter when a familiar voice says, “I thought I might find you at the food, Stephaine.”

 

She turns, eyes wide behind her sunglasses, to see someone very familiar approach her. He has on a hoodie and sunglasses as well, looking very casual and fitting into his surroundings. 

 

“Damian,” she says, keeping her voice mostly steady. “There you are.” She grabs his hand and he doesn’t pull away. Steph leads him away, to the outskirts of the market. She hugs him and he pushes her away.

 

“What happened?” she asks. “How did you find me?”

 

“Well, Father, Gordon and I found each other after the attack,” he says. “Father took us to the Fortress of Solitude to get all healed, then we went to Grayson’s apartment in Bludhaven. He’s been patrolling Bludhaven and going to Gotham to search for you all. Gordon’s been making signals to find your comms. Once Cain sent out that signal, Gordon was able to latch onto it and find you.”

 

“So where’s the rest of them?” Steph asks, frantic with worry. She can tell he rolls his eyes from behind his sunglasses. 

 

“Father went to go get Cain,” he says. “Gordon’s still looking for the others, and I was sent here to make sure you were ‘okay’,” he says sourly. 

 

“Where’s Cass?” Steph asks. “Maybe we can help?”

 

“Father banned me, and took my gear,” Damian grumbles. 

 

“Why?” He sighs, loud and dramatic. 

 

“She was at the al Ghul court,” he says. 

 

“Holy crap,” Steph says. “Geez. Okay. Um. Have you found any of the others?”

 

“No,” Damian says. “Father thinks Drake is with Cain since she shouldn’t be able to send out the signal on her own.”

 

Steph sighs and runs her hands through her hair. 

 

“Okay,” she says. “Let’s go find Martha, then, and when Clark or Barry or whoever comes by later, we can tell them.”

 

They walk through the market, and Damian tugs on Steph’s shirt. 

 

“What?”

 

“Is...who’s with you?” Steph smiles sadly. 

 

“Roy and Claire,” she says. “Alfred and Harley Quinn. Some civilians.” 

 

“Oh,” Damian says, his voice small. Steph ruffles his hair and sees Olive up ahead. 

 

“Olive!” she calls. Olive turns, her eyes widening. 

 

“Who--”

 

“This is Robin,” Steph says. 

 

“We’ve met,” Damian says shortly. Olive crosses her arms.

 

“You stole my yearbook,” she says. 

 

“It was for a good cause,” Damian says. 

 

“Not gonna ask,” Steph says. “Have you seen Martha?” 

 

They go back to the farm and Alfred manages to get a hug from Damian and Damian flips Roy the bird and Claire ruffles his hair and Colton makes a joke about sunglasses and Harley and Damian look at each other for a long time then they shrug. Steph suspects an uneasy truce and she’s fine with that. 

 

Alfred gives Damian a domino mask and then Damian bolts to go hang out with the animals. Steph laughs. 

  
  
  
  


Clark and Diana fly them back to Gotham, where the rubble’s been cleared and there’s already yellow machines prowling around the city, starting to rebuild. Clark tells them he’s not sure where the others are. Dust fills the air and there’s rocks scraping and Bruce is there, Duke and Tim and Cass and Babs and Dick behind him. 

 

“All it took was for all the bats to be in Gotham to find each other?” Olive asks. 

 

“Exactly,” Harley grumbles. “Find one, you find ‘em all.” Steph grins and Bruce walks past her. 

 

“Nice work,” he says. Steph’s smile gets wider. 

 

Diana takes them all to the hospital that’s been dedicated to keeping civilians safe, and there’s the healthy ones in the waiting room, and Cass runs to Harper Row, and a girl with short black hair’s mouth falls open. 

 

“OH MY GOD,” she yells. “OLIVE!”

 

“Maps!” Olive says, and she limps over to Maps to hug her. 

 

“You have Batman and Robin and Batgirl and Spoiler and--” 

 

“I know,” Olive says, shushing her. Colton comes over to Maps and a boy that resembles her and a girl in a hood and they reunite. 

 

“What about Hood?” Roy asks. Dick shrugs. 

 

“What about  _ me _ ?” Harley wails. Steph and Tim exchange a look. 

 

“Harley?” a voice asks. They turn to see a woman who sort of looks like…..

 

“PAM!” Harley yells, and she crashes into her. 

 

“Should we lock them up?” Dick asks. 

 

“Not now,” Bruce says. 

 

“What about the Joker?” Roy asks. 

 

“Doesn’t matter,” a new voice says, and Jason walks around Bruce and slips his hand into Roy’s. 

 

“Where have you been?” Roy hisses. 

 

“Protecting the citizens. Where have  _ you  _ been?” Jason says, equally quiet, then louder, “That green-ass bastard won’t be surviving our next encounter.”

 

“Hood….” Bruce growls and Jason flips him off. 

 

“It doesn’t matter,” Steph interrupts. “We’re safe, and that’s what matters.” 

 

“Right,” Babs says. 

 

“We can deal with the other stuff later,” Tim adds. 

 

“I suppose,” Bruce says. 

 

The Bats leave the hospital and go out into Gotham, where the buildings are gone and there’s still smoke in the air and brightly colored streaks, made from heroes, are flying through the air. 

 

Gotham is gone but they are already rebuilding, and Steph can’t wait to help. 

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading! hope you enjoyed, and comments + kudos are always appreciated :))


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